US turns to old foes to secure Iraq (Saddam Hussein's senior officers)

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0421/p06s01-woiq.html

The US has trained some 200,000 Iraqis, but Bremer says they are not ready to assume full control July 1.

By Scott Peterson | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

BAGHDAD – A marked change in "atmospherics" is what American-led occupation chiefs say they want to achieve, when Iraqis wake up July 1, the day they are slated to regain sovereignty.

Handing security of the country over to newly minted Iraqi forces was meant to be one thrust of that change. But to help rebuild an army and stabilize the country, US commanders are now turning to those they once fired: Saddam Hussein's senior officers.

On paper, the US has trained 200,000 police, defense corps members, and soldiers. But former Iraqi officers say the only solution to the current unrest is resurrecting large parts of the old Iraqi military, before insecurity spirals further out of control - an idea that is gaining traction with US commanders.

"It's very clear that we've got to get more senior Iraqis involved - former military types involved in the security forces," said Gen. John Abizaid, the US regional commander, last week. "In the next couple of days you'll see a large number of senior officers being appointed to key positions in the Ministry of Defense, and the Iraqi joint staff, and in Iraqi field commands."

more

[Gasolinedream]

1. I'm sure...

that will go over real well with the Iraqi's. We truly have no clue what we are doing there. THanks Shrub.

[brokensymmetry]

2. But I thought all of this was to liberate the Iraqi people?

Silly me! I must be in error.

Do you suppose Saddam would like his old job back? (Don't laugh - the way things are going, it just might happen.)

[johnfunk]

3. Miserable failure: US forced to Ba'athify Iraq security

Whatever will we tell the children?

[July]

4. But I thought the "insurgents" were Baathist remnants, according to Rummy.

Is this a FLIP-FLOP?

[htuttle]

5. At this rate, they may as well just put Saddam back in power...

...and go home.

[Bridget Burke]

6. Isn't he "fit, rested & ready"....?

Just like Nixon.

[Benhurst]

7. Yes, just like Nixon. He can be sold to the Iraqi people as

"The New Saddam".

[central scrutinizer]

8. couple this with reports about a Taliban amnesty

in Afghanistan and we can see that *'s misleadership and misadventures and flip-flops have gotten us exactly nowhere, except with thousands needlessly, tragically dead, a Muslim world united against us, and the rest of the world suspicious. Good job - mission accomplished.